Latch mechanism



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nited States jPatent LATCH MECHANISM George E. Dath, Mokena, Ill., assignor to Enterprise Railway Equipment Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application March 11, 1954, Serial No. 415,465

6 Claims.v (Cl. 10S-308) This invention relates, generally, to latch mechanisms for doors for load containing hoppers, and it has particular relation to latch mechanisms for wedging the door closed.

Among the objects of this invention are: To provide for wedging to closed position in a new and improved manner a door that is held in partly closed position by a latch bar; to lock the latch bar in the position where it holds the door closed; to provide a locking dog having one portion for positioning between the latch bar and the shoulder of a cooperating keeper to hold the door closed and another portion for holding the latch bar in the door closing position; and to provide complementary wedging surfaces on the `latch bar and locking dog in order to facilitate entry of the one portion of the dog between the latch bar t and the shoulder of the keeper.

Other objects of this invention will, in part, be obvious and in part appear hereinafter.

This invention is disclosed in the embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawings, and it comprises the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope'of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

For a more complete understanding of the nature and scope of this invention, reference can be had to the following detailed description, taken together with the ac# companying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a view, in side elevation, of a railway car hopper arranged to be closed by a door to whichl is applied a latch mechanism embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a View, partly in vertical section and partly in elevation, showing the hopper and door construction of Figure 1, thek view looking from right to left;

Figure 3 is a View, in front elevation, of the lower portion of the door shown in Figure 2, the latch mechanism being shown in the position where the latch bar has been released from the shouldered keeper;

Figure 4 is a view, similar to Figure 3, but showing the locking dog in position where it is being cammed into a location between the latch bar and the shoulder of the' keeper;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view, taken generally along the line 5-5 of Figure 3; and showing the locking dog in the released position;

Figure 6 is a view, similar to Figure 5, but showing the locking dog in the locking position with the door fully closed;

Figure 7 is a view, in side elevation, of the locking dog shown in the preceding figures, the locking dog being shown at an enlarged scale;

Figure 8 is a bottom plane view of the locking dog shown in Figure 9;

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Referring now particularly to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, it will be observed that the reference character 10 designates generally a hopper, such as a load containing hopper of a railway car. The hopper 10 is positioned between a longitudinally extending center sill 11 and a car side wall 12. The hopper 10 is formed by an upper door 13 and a lower lloor 14 and by an outer inclined side Wall 15 and an inner vertical side wall 16. The hopper 10 is arranged to discharge through a hopper opening that is indicated, generally, at 17 in Figures 5 and 6 and is surrounded by a frame that is indicated, generally, at 18. Three sides ofthe frame have a generally T-shaped cross section. The frame 18 is secured in position on the hopper 10 by rivets 19. It includes a top frame member 20 that is secured to the upper oor 13 by rivets 21. Projecting laterally from the top frame member 20 are hinge butts 22 carrying hinge pins 23 on which hinge straps 24 are mounted. The hinge straps 24 are secured by rivets 25 to a door that is indicated, generally, at 26 and is arranged to close the opening 17 from the hopper 10 in accordance with conventional practice. y

Near the lower central portion of the door 26 is an opening 29 through which a nose portion 30 of a shouldered keeper 31 projects. The-keeper 31 has a base portion 32 that is secured by rivets 33 to the lower oor 14 and lowermost portion of the frame 18. The nose portion 30 has an inclined runway 34 for cooperating with the underside of a latch lbar 35 to lift the same to a position where it can ride over an inclined surface 36 and engage a shoulder 37 of the keeper 31 for holding the door 26 in a partly closed position. 37 is such that, when itis engaged by the latch bar 35 there remains about one inch of movement of the swinging edge of the door 26 to close it.

As shown more clearly in Figures 2,3 and 4 of the drawings, the latch bar 35 is pivotally mounted at 39 to swing in a planeparallel to the plane of the door 26 on a door beam casting, shown generally at 40, which is secured by rivets 41 to the front side of the door 26. The door beam casting40 has an opening 42, Figures'S 5 and 6, which registers with the opening 29 in the door 26 Figure 9 is a View, in front elevation, of the locking dog; and

Figure l0 is a view, in side elevation, looking from right to left of Figure 9 to illustrate further the details-'of construction of the locking dog. f t

to permit the nose portion 30 to project therethrough for cooperation with the latch bar 35.

Formed integrally with the door beam casting 40 near the left-hand end, as viewed in Figure 1, are an inner guide arm 43 and an outer guide arm 44 between which the end of the latch bar 35, remote from the pivot 39, is guided. Near the base of the outer guide arm 44 is a fulcrum ledge 45 while a fulcrum ledge 46 projects from the top. These ledges 45 and 46 are arranged, as described hereinafter, to receive a removable operating bar which is arranged to bear against one or the other and against a shoulder 47 .formed integrally with and extending laterally from the latch bar 35. The fulcrum ledge 46 also is arranged to cooperate with a removable bar for operating a locking dog which also will be described.

Also formed integrally with the ydoor beam casting 40 are an inner bracket member 50 and an outer bracket member 51,-both being centrally positioned above the opening 42 and in alignment with the nose portion 3i) of the shouldered keeper 31 as seen more clearly in Figures 2, 3 and 4 of the drawings. Formed integrally with the outer bracket member 51 at the upper end is a fulcrum boss 52 that is arranged to receive one end of a removable bar. upper ends of the bracket members 50 and 51, and the door 26 for pivotally mounting a pivot portion 54 of a dog that is shown generally at 55 and the details of conv:

struction of which are shown more clearly in Figures 7, 8, 9 and l0 of the drawings. As there shown the pivot l portion 54 has ahole 56 therein through which the rivet vr The position of the shoulderl A rivet 53 extends through the fulcrum boss 52,

53 can. extend.. The `lowermost portion57fot .the.dog.55.

has a wcdging surface S that is arranged to cooperate with a complementary wedging surface 59 on the latch bar 35 `to facilitate entry of the .lowerportionlas shown in Figure 6,-between'the1fonward side-ofthelatch.'bar 352 with a circular cam surface 60 withthe centerof curvature being the center of the hole 56.` The .cam surface 60 is formed on the underside of an upperportion 61 of the` dog 55 which, as shown inY Figures 7 and l0 of the-drawings, is offset inwardly toward `the door -26 -from-thelower portion 57. The cam surface 60 is arranged to.y

positionas -shown lin Figures 2 and 6 vof the drawings, `a removablebar, shown at 65 in -Figure- 2,' is `positioned on thefulc'rum ledge 46` and-underneath the boss-63f on the' dog 55.` TheY outer end of `the -bar I65l fthen Ais moved downwardlyto raise the boss 63 andswing Ithedog- 55 in-a clockwise direction from the position shownin Figure 6 -where it interfits `between the front side of the latch rbar `BSHandthe shoulder 37. When thisyhas been accomplished the door26 swings to a partly open Vposition where the latch bar 35 rests againstthe shoulder?, In this position, `the Aswingingedge of the ^door"26, is spaced-about one4 inch 'from the hopper 10;l Thelocking dog l55-is-swung to'theposition 'shown in AFigure 3 where it rests'against the crossbar 64.

Nextthe removable barfis positioned asr indicated at 66 -in Figure 2 underneathA the shoulder 47 andV on 'top of the -tulcrum ledge 45; An upward-'thrust applied to the outer' end ofthe bar 66' lifts-the -latchgbar -35 from engagement with the shoulder 37and permits 4the door 26 yto "swingto the pendant'open positionunder the intluence of gravity and as` caused bythedischarge of ladingfthrough 4the hopper' opening 4l'l.'

Whenit is `desired to'close the door; itis made; certain that'the dog-55' occupiesthe' positionsltwn in Figure 3. Then the 4door` 261'can be slammed shut.Y ,As the lower side 67 of the latchibar 3,5 engages the-inclined runwayA 34,` the latch Ibar 35 4is deflected upwardly until it reaches the inclined surface 36 whereupon it:moves downwardly under the influence of-gravity to a position Ain engagement with/the 'shoulder 37.V As described hereinbefore, the

door 26 nowis held in a partly closed position. Next the ylocking dog 55 is swung manually from the position shown in Figure 3 to the positionvshown in Figure 4 and the removable bar is positioned as indicated at 68 between the boss,63 on the dog `55 and the 4fulcrum boss 52 `on the outerbracket member 51.A By Aswinging the bar 68` in a counterclockwise direction, the wedging surface 58 engagesthe complementary wcdging surface 59 on the latch bar 35 land-the dog 55 is swung in a counterclockwise direction to the position shown in Figure 6 where the-lower-portion 57"is" interposed between the `latch bar 35uand-the shoulder\37.` fIn Athis position the circularcam surface 60 engages .the `uitpertsidez 'ofthe latch'bar 35 and holds ittin the .latched-position; e

Since certain -changes can :be made in vthe foregoingconstructiontandfditerentembodiments of. the invention cambe madefsvithontidenartingfronr thetspiritwand scope;-

thereof, .it `is intended .that .all ymatters shown intheaccompanying drawings and described hereinbefore shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed as new is:

1. For combination with a hopper having a discharge opening, a pivotally mounted doorfor closing said opening, a shouldered keeper carried by said hopper, a latch bar pivotally mounted on said door-'to `swing in a plane parallelthereto for engaging theshouldcr of said keeper to hold said door partly closed, yand a dog pivotally mounted on said door to swing in a plane parallel thereto, ,said dog having a portion swingable to a position between said shoulder and said latch bar to hold said door `in the fully closed position and-another` portion for engaging said latch bar to hold the same in the latched position.

2. For combination with a hopper having a discharge opening, a pivotally mounted door for closing said open.-

ing,a shouldered keeper-carried by said hopper, a latch bai-'pivotally mounted on `saiddoor to swing in a plane parallel thereto yfor engaging the Shoulder of said keeper to hold said door partly closed, and a dog pivotally mounted on said door to swing in a plane parallel thereto, said dog having a portion with a wedging surface to engage saidglatch barzand facilitate entry between the same and said'shouldcr to holdv said door in the fully closed position and another portion for engaging said latch bar to hold the same in the latched position.

3. For combination with a hopper having a door and a discharge opening, a door pivotally mounted along its upper edge-to swing from a pendant open position to an inclined position for closing said opening, a shouldered keeper carried by the floor of said hopper and adapted to project through an opening in the lower portion of said door centrally thereof when the same is closed, a latch bar pivotally mounted on said door to swing downwardly in a plane parallel thereto for engaging the shoulder of said keeper to holdsaid door partly closed, and a dog pivotally mounted on said door above said keeper to swingin a plane parallel thereto, said dog having a portion swingable to a position between said shoulder and said latch bar to hold said door in the fully closed position, and anotherportion for engaging said latch bar to hold the same in the latched position.

4. For combination with a hopper having a tloor and a discharge` opening,V a door pivotally mounted along yits upper edge to swingf'rom a pendant open position to an inclined position for closing said opening, a shouldered keeper carried by 4the oor `of said hopper and adapted toproject through an opening in the lower portion of said door centrally thereof when the same is closed,a latch bar pivotally mounted on said door to swing downwardly in a plane parallel thereto for engaging the shoulder of,said keeper to hold said door partly closed and a dog pivotally mounted on said door above` said keeper to swing in -a plane,` parallel thereto, said dog having `a portion swingabl'e' to a position between said shoulder and said `latch 'barl to hold said door in the fully closed position and another portion for engaging said latch bar to hold the same in the latched position, said one portion being positioned below and offset` outwardly from said other portion when said dog is swung to locking position.

5.Fo'r combination with va hopper having a floor and a discharge opening, a door pivotally mounted along its Y said door centrally thereof when the same is closed, a

latchbarpiyotally mounted onsaid door toswing downwardly in a plane parallel thereto for engaging the shoulr.

der of` said; keeper to hold said ,door partlyl `closedwanda dogpiyotallymounted onsaid door above said kefPH-H to swing in a plane parallel theretoMsaidd havingna portion with a wedging surface to engage said latch bar and facilitate entry between the same and said shoulder to hold said door in the fully closed position and another portion for engaging said latch bar to hold the same in the latched position.

6. For combination with a hopper having a Hoor and Va discharge opening, a door pivotally mounted along its upper edge to swing from a pendant open position to an inclined position for closing said opening, a shouldered keeper carried by the floor of said hopper and adapted to project through an opening in the lower portion of said door centrally thereof when the same is closed, :a latch bar pivotally mounted on said door to swing downwardly in a plane parallel thereto for engaging the shoulder of said keeper to hold said door partly closed, and a dog pivot-ally mounted on said door above Asaid keeper to swing in a plane parallel thereto, said dog having a portion with a wedging surface to engage a complementary wedging surface on said latch bar and facilitate entry between the same and said shoulder to hold said door in the fully closed position and another portion for engaging said latch bar to hold the same in the latched position.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,617,395 Kadel Feb. 15, 1927 1,681,669 Kadel Aug. 21, 1928 1,737,927 Kadel Dec. 3, 1929 2,630,769 Batho et al Mar. l0, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 466,521 Germany Oct. 8, 1928 

